Child's Play: Slice of Life
by TheFifthSister
Summary: A little pumpkin carving for the Bering-Wells family


Emma sat in her Mama's lap quite happily; marker pen in hand eagerly designing the face Myka was going to help her curve into her pumpkin. HG sat beside them, carving away at one of her own and Claudia sat at the opposite side of the table working on her own. Emma had enjoyed pulling the guts out, they were squishy and sticky and she had fun teasing her parents with handfuls of the stuff as they helped her ready her pumpkin

She drew two wonky eyes and a crooked smile with missing teeth then looked up at Myka for her opinion. "What else Mama?"

Myka smiled at the happy look on her daughters face. "How about a scary looking nose?" She suggested. She watched Emma draw nostrils and then check with her again.

"Oh, it's scary Ems." Myka told her, squeezing her a little. "It's going to be the best lantern in the street."

She turned it around to show Helena. "Mummy!"

"That's wonderful darling," HG smiled at her. "I think you're ready to carve."

"Can I see yours Mummy?" Emma asked innocently.

"When it's done..." HG told her as she got lost again in carving it.

Myka shook her head at her wife, watching her bite her lip in concentration. She flicked her gaze to Claudia and she turned her pumpkin to show Emma. "Whatcha think Munchkin? Wow, that's a wicked looking pumpkin!" Claudia told her as she looked at hers.

Emma beamed at the comment. "I like yours Aunt Claude!"

Myka picked up the children's carving knife they'd bought for Emma to use and held it in front of them. "Right, hold it here," Myka wrapped Emma's hand around the handle and helped her hold the knife up to the pumpkin. "Now follow the lines you made and please please please watch your fingers, okay?"

Myka helped guide Emma and together they carved their face into the pumpkin. Emma squealed every time they completed a section, animatedly telling HG of the progress she was making and HG exchanged grins with her wife and helped to remind their daughter about safety.

"Done!" Emma bounced. "What now?"

Myka laughed. "Well, now we take them outside and light a candle inside."

"Let's do that!" Emma tried to wiggle off her Mama's lap but Myka stopped her.

"Hold on there missy, we've gotta wait for Mummy and Aunt Claudia first."

Emma huffed but sank back into her Mama's arms and waited, watching Claudia and HG finish their pumpkins and played with her own until they were ready. She led the way outside, Myka carrying their pumpkin so Emma wouldn't drop it and ruin all her hardwork.

She put it down on the step beside their front door and put a candle inside, pulling a lighter out of her pocket. "You ready Ems?"

Emma watched as Myka lit the candle. Light illuminated the inside and lit the face they'd carved together. Emma giggled and clapped. "Look Mummy! I did that. That's cool Mama." Emma threw her arms around Myka's waist and hugged her.

"Well done Emma. That's the best pumpkin on the whole street," Myka told her. "Stand next to it and we'll take a picture to send Uncle Pete." Emma posed with her pumpkin and Myka snapped a photo on her cell. "Right, who's next?"

Claudia put hers down next to Emma and pulled something out of her pocket, putting it inside. "Hey, Emma, clap your hands twice really loud for me, 'kay?" Emma did as asked and a light flared to life inside light up. "Tada!"

"Is that an electric candle you've put in there?" HG asked.

"Much safer than a regular one, and easier to use," Claudia winked at Emma.

"Nifty idea," HG commended her young friend.

"I like the face Aunt Claude," Emma told her, looking at her pumpkin.. Claudia had carved the face of Jack Skeleton into her pumpkin. "It has monster teeth!" Emma made a monster face and pretended to get her Aunt "Mummy, you're turn!"

HG turned placed her pumpkin down and lit her candle inside of it, stepping back to let her family see the mysterious design she'd been slaving over.

"Is...is that... did you really do an Invisible Man pumpkin honey?" Myka asked, laughing her head a little.

"Well, it is rather in the spirit of the holiday," HG argued. Her pumpkin sported a design of a man in bandages with parts of him fading away. Myka had to admit it was one of the best designs she'd seen anyone do. She should have expected something extraordinary from her wife.

"What do you think Emma?" HG asked her daughter, bending down to look at the pumpkins with her.

"It's good... but it's not scary like mine," Emma told her seriously.

HG laughed, kissing her daughter on the head. "No, none are as scary as yours sweetheart."


End file.
